2016 Kia Soul reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2016 Kia Soul has 819 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 13 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Soul years here — under the median of the other years, which is 16. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Engine and Steering.

2012 Kia Soul — Photo by DieselFordMondeo, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

819

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (557 of 819), then Engine and engine cooling (106) and Fuel and propulsion system (83). Those filings include 29 that report a crash, 35 that report a fire, and 17 that report an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Soul has 904 complaints, 22 per year, and the 2017 has 272 complaints, 11 per year. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 Kia Soul. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (2)

Recall Engine 2019-02-22 · NHTSA campaign 19V120000

Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.

Remedy Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.

Recall Steering 2017-09-29 · NHTSA campaign 17V608000

Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV vehicles. The pinion plug may allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering gear assembly.

Remedy Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC155. Note: This recall supersedes campaigns 14V-332 and 15V-736. Vehicles previously remedied under those numbers are being recalled again under this campaign.

Complaints by component (819 total)

Engine

557

Engine and engine cooling

106

Fuel and propulsion system

Powertrain

Electrical system

Speed control

Steering

Service brakes

Exterior lighting

Structure

Air bags

Suspension

Visibility and wipers

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Seat belts

Seats

Fire-related

Forward collision avoidance

Hydraulic brakes

Interior lighting

Tires

Traction control

Visibility

Show 15 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The engine long-block assembly suffered a catastrophic, terminal internal collapse and sudden stall due to abrasive substrate particle ingestion from a previously failed, melted manifold catalytic converter under Safety…"
Engine · filed 2026-09-24
"My car is under 130000 miles and about two years ago I already had to replace one catalytic converter. The past six months the oil usage of my car, which has always been high and requires frequent topping off and more…"
Engine · filed 2026-09-16
"Component or system: Catalytic converter (exhaust emissions system). The converter is physically restricted due to substrate damage consistent with the defect identified in NHTSA Campaign 19V120 / Kia Recall SC176. The…"
Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-16
"The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start immediately and lost motive power while driving. The contact was able to continue driving at reduced power. Additionally, there were…"
Engine and engine cooling, Engine · filed 2026-09-16
"On December 4, 2025, I presented my vehicle to Kia Carriage of Woodstock with the following symptoms: • Continuous check‑engine warning • Rattling engine noise • Oil leakage • Strong burning‑oil smell while driving…"
Engine · filed 2026-09-15

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2016 Kia Soul Ev SUV FWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated
2016 Kia Soul SUV FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Soul	1.6L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	24	30	26 MPG	$2500
Soul	1.6L, 4-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Front-wheel drive	24	30	26 MPG	$2500
Soul	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	24	31	27 MPG	$2400
Soul ECO dynamics	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	24	30	26 MPG	$2500
Soul Electric	—	Automatic (1-speed)	Front-wheel drive	120	92	105 MPG / 93 mi range	$700

Specs and fitment

2nd generation (PS), 2012–2019

Body styles Hatchback

Oil 5W-20 or 0W-20 (1.6L and 2.0L) , 4 qt capacity

Tire size 205/60R16 to 215/45R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 19V120000. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure. Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.

Compare

Previous year 2015 Kia Soul Next year 2017 Kia Soul See every Kia Soul model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Kia Soul reliable?

What are common problems with a 2016 Kia Soul?

Is the 2016 Kia Soul more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Soul has 904 complaints, 22 per year, and the 2017 has 272 complaints, 11 per year. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2016 Kia Soul been recalled?

The 2016 Kia Soul has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Kia Soul?

Owners have filed 819 complaints about the 2016 Kia Soul with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Kia Soul get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Kia Soul is 42 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Soul take?

5W-20 or 0W-20 (1.6L and 2.0L)

What does NHTSA recall 19V-120 cover on the Kia Soul?

NHTSA campaign 19V120000.

What generation is the 2013 Kia Soul?

2nd generation (PS) (2012-2019).